Sri Lanka’s 98 Acres Resort and Spa to spearhead country’s luxury tourism through recent award
Ada Derana: 98 Acres Resort and Spa, a subsidiary of U.H.E. Group, was recently recognised as one of the ‘Best of the Best’ in the 2022 Travelers’ Choice Awards, under the category ‘Best Romantic Hotels – Asia’ by TripAdvisor. The list included 19 other winners from the Asia region, including luxury properties from Maldives [10], Thailand [05 – including one property from the Phang Nga Province], Malaysia [02], Singapore [01] and one other property from Sri Lanka.
The luxury resort & spa continues to pique the interest of international travelers. The recent addition of the ‘Ravana Pool Club’ – Sri Lanka’s first international Pool Club, along with ‘Flying Ravana’ – the mega zipline and adventure park, to the 98 Acres repertoire are part of an extended leisure experience available to both in-house guests of the property as well as visitors to Ella. The famous property that continues to garner praise across the globe has played a pivotal role in promoting and expanding Ella’s tourism prowess – making it a noteworthy and aspirational holiday region that many believe will soon rival Bali as a luxury leisure destination
Speaking with 98 Acres Resort and Spa, Group General Manager – Inthikab Alam, on the recent accolade, stated: “98 Acres Resort and Spa has always been dedicated to pave the way for Sri Lanka Tourism as a beacon of excellence in hospitality. What started off as a tea estate turned boutique hotel, has now evolved into a regional phenomenon, with many local and international tourists flocking to 98 Acres, as it is considered a vital part of the Ella [and luxury Sri Lanka] experience.”
With Sri Lanka’s current economic climate, tourism has become a vital industry to aid in the country’s recovery through revenue boosts, job creation, infrastructure development in particular for digital nomads and the traveling millennial and zoomers. Through the continued efforts of brands such as 98 Acres Resort & Spa, the increase in tourism flow is expected to bring positive economic outcomes for Sri Lanka (both short-term and long-term), particularly where Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and employment opportunities are considered.
Concluding, Alam stated: “All of our humble achievements have manifested themselves into a driving force for every individual working towards the success of the 98 Acres brand. Despite the hardships that 98 Acres Resort & Spa has experienced, we as a team have grown into something bigger and better with time – overcoming difficulties brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns, as well as the current economic climate, with a clear focus and path to continued success. I’d like to take this opportunity to appreciate those that have supported us in our journey throughout the years.”
The effort to market both property and country has resulted in Ella becoming a must-visit, popular destination for couples, families, digital nomads and flashpackers. The destination is particularly intriguing to many for its almost mystical nature as a scenic, serene and picturesque town, home to lush forests, mountain peaks and quaint villages that have welcomed modern travelers from around the world with open arms.
98 Acres Resort & Spa has received accolades such as Travelers’ Choice Award in the Luxury Category’ by TripAdvisor (2013 – 2021); Traveler’s Choice award in the Romance Category (2016); ‘The Best Luxury Mountain Resort in the World’ by World Luxury Hotel Awards (2015 and 2016).
OSL take:
Sri Lanka’s tourism industry was one of the main revenue generators in the country until affected by the pandemic and the economic crisis that followed. However, the country’s tourism industry is once again on the path to recovery. The recent award received by a Sri Lankan resort that specializes in luxury tourism is indicative of the growing business potential in Sri Lanka’s tourism industry. Local tourism authorities are also engaged in aggressively promoting the country’s tourism industry in key foreign source markets as well as explore new tourism concepts to develop in the country. Sri Lanka has also received much exposure in the international media and has been listed as a must visit destination as well as one of the top island destinations. With Sri Lanka engaged in an overall economic development programme, the country’s tourism industry has presented new business/investment opportunities, especially in the leisure and hospitality sectors. While many businesses in the leisure and hospitality sectors have launched expansion programmes, there have been interests shown by international brands to enter into the country’s tourism industry. Given the growing business potential in Sri Lanka’s tourism industry, foreign businesses/investors could confidently explore the growing opportunities in the industry, especially in the leisure and hospitality sectors.
| Article Code : | VBS/AT/11072022/X_4 |